A Princess, A Pet, and Prey : A Diabolik Merfolk Romance
by sassybasketsmytwistedview
Summary: Merfolk, as it turns out, are not pretty women in shell bras, frolicking in the waves. Kidnapping, torture, drowning, and even devouring humans is all not only practiced, but commonplace. The scariest part? Some of them even walk among us, seeking their next victim... and four young women are about to learn the hard way...(better summary inside)
1. Siren

Summary:

What do you think you know about mermaids? Pretty women with shell bras and shimmering fish tails, frolicking in the waves?

Wrong.

Merfolk, as it turns out, are every bit as beautiful as we think they are... but that beauty belies how dangerous they can be. Kidnapping, torturing, drowning, and even devouring humans are all not only practiced, but commonplace among these creatures. The scariest part? Some of them even walk among us, seeking their next victim. Three young women - Einin, Levi, and Jendayi - all from different backgrounds, but soon to be united by this single thread of fate, will learn the hard way... but will they live to tell the tale?

* * *

Einin wasn't exactly excited to be left alone with her 'little' brother, at this age he was both bigger and meaner than her and hated listening to her. He had been doing his best to ignore the fact that his older sister was struggling to keep up with him as they both wandered away from the hotel and further up the beach. Their parents - annoyed with the brother and sister's arguing - had banished them from the hotel for the day, leaving Einin in charge of her younger sibling.

"Seamus!... Seamus! Slow down!" She had to jog to keep up with him. After his most recent growth spurt, he was towering over her five foot frame at six foot two, and feeling very smug about his height. Unfortunately for him, Einin made up for her lack of height with sheer loudness, when the situation called for it. Seamus winced and shot an annoyed look back at his sister, who was trailing about ten feet behind him, and yelling at him to slow down.

"It's not my fault you're so short," he huffed, still looking irritated, but waiting where he stopped in order for her to catch up... and hopefully end the yelling. People were starting to stare, not that his sister ever cared. Seeing her brother standing and waiting for her, the auburn-haired girl ran up to him, her cheeks slightly pink from exertion and annoyance; she despised being ignored.

"And it's not my fault you have an attitude problem!" she glared at him, "Do you _want_ me to get in trouble?! I'm supposed to be watching you! Legal adult here!"

"Like you could watch me from that height, and you just turned eighteen two days ago, it barely counts," he snorted in amusement at his own joke.

"Don't you have any _new_ material?" Einin snapped irritated with her younger sibling's teasing. He had been acting like this since they had gotten to Kyoto, no, ever since he got over five foot. Kyoto was the last vacation they were having together before she headed off to college, and the family would be separated for the first time. It was a worrying thought for the both of them, and was causing already short fuses to become even shorter, with more bickering occurring over stupid and trivial things. The two of them had been kicked out after an argument broke out regarding where the family was going that day. Einin was fairly certain this was just their way of coping with her move to college; after all, Seamus would be the only kid left at home after that. Even though she was fighting with her brother, she believed it was just her way of saying she would miss Seamus's teasing. Actually, if she was being honest with herself, she was already missing her tall, yet short-tempered, brother, and she hadn't even left yet.

"Hey, so... do you like the beaches here?" Einin asked her sibling, a hand brushing away the loose curls that had fallen out of the hair clip that restrained her bangs.

"Eh… the beaches are fine. I just don't understand why we had to come all the way here when we had the beach back home," he shrugged and kicked up some sand as they walked further along the shoreline.

"It's a vacation. I just thought you would want to hang out at the beach instead of going to the spa or walking around the town like we did yesterday," pacing slightly ahead of Seamus, she did a lazy twirl in the sand, tired of just walking along and distracting herself from starting another stupid argument, "besides, you always complain about how I won't take you to the beach, so I figured it would be a good time to make up for it now."

The boy rolled his eyes, used to his sister's train of thought by now, and followed her. She walked closer to the ocean as they approached a less occupied part of the beach, and decided to hang out there for a bit to watch the sun set.

A gentle breeze pushed her hair back for her she waded into the clear water; her pale legs turned a light pink from the floating sand scraping against her sensitive skin. The water wasn't cold like the water back home, and the sun setting against the waves was something she could appreciate. It was a good moment, just standing there existing, and watching, until she felt a wet smack in the back of her head.

Her hand found the now muddied area on the back of her skull, and pulled a large clump of the wet sand out of her shoulder-length mane. Laughter gave away her attacker (not that she expected anyone else) and she quickly turned about face, scooped up a large handful of the mud, then hurled it at her little brother. The gritty projectile hit its mark - that is, his bare chest - with another sloppy, wet slap. Suddenly his laughter died off, and he moved his hand to touch the mud on his chest in surprise. When he looked back up, his eyes burned with a fire that could only mean one thing between the two of them: _war_.

It was a brief fight - not that one could tell from the amount of sand covering the siblings' bodies, from the top of their heads down to their feet. Einin had taken the brunt of the impact, and it showed: the shirt that she had been wearing over her bikini was now completely filthy. It was clear that she had lost the fight, not that she would ever admit it.

"Asshole," she mumbled (ignoring how he laughed at her) and pulled off her cover-up, rinsing off most of the sand back into the sea, then cleared the rest of it off herself, especially out of her hair. The walk home was going to be a pain seeing as neither of the two had brought towels and despite the warmth the sun had just set and twilight was just beginning.

When the two finally made it back to their hotel, dusk had settled into twilight. Einin had been thrown into the water twice on the way back after asking a few particularly invasive questions about Seamus's girlfriend. Cold and still soaked to the bone, she returned to the room to take a shower to get the remaining sand and salt water off of her.

'Flopping on a bed after a hot shower is definitely the best feeling in the world' the redhead smiled at the thought, and rolled on her side, enjoying the feeling of the covers. She let out a sigh, then glanced over at the large windows that overlooked the water. The sky was perfect: a few clouds, the moon nearly full, and the ocean being, well... _the ocean_.

It couldn't hurt to just go out again, could it? She had managed to get back before dawn without much trouble last night, so maybe she could go out again tonight? It _was_ her vacation after all, and she was pretty good at hiding if the police were passing by. 'It should be fine,' she reasoned. After all, nothing had happened the night before, why would anything be different tonight?

Getting to the beach was the easy part. Once she made it down there, the trick was getting over the fence, just beyond which laid her favorite stargazing spot. Despite the signs placed all along the fence, ones seemingly dead-set on discouraging people from trespassing, she made the climb over and ventured forth.

She crept gingerly along the coastline, hiding behind the rock formations and looking around the area for any sign of trouble. Thinking about it from an outsider's perspective, it must have looked odd, a girl in her pajamas creeping barefoot along the shore. A small, almost impish, giggle escaped her lips, and almost out of habit, she brushed the locks back out of her face; Einin felt like she was a main character in one of her romance novels. It was an amusing thought to say the least, sneaking out to some private beach to meet the love of her life. Maybe they would dance after confessing their love to one another? She laughed at that little fantasy... but then thought better of it. She was allowed to have her dreams, and besides, when was the next time she would have a moment like this?

Hesitantly, she put her earbuds in, glancing around one last time to make sure no one was there before she hit "play". Her dancing wasn't particularly graceful, but in that moment, she was only dancing for herself. A few minutes of this twirling reverie, accompanied by her carefree humming, was exhilarating, but also tired her out quickly. The impromptu dance ended with one final spin before she laid on the ground, smiling even as she tried to catch her breath.

The sky was really beautiful that night.

* * *

Morning came faster than expected. She had gotten back to her hotel room around five a.m. and debated just staying awake til eight. Unfortunately, her body made the choice for her, as she fell back asleep in the middle of her train of thought.

When she woke up, she had six missed calls from her brother, a few texts from her mom and dad, and the knowledge she missed breakfast. Groaning audibly, the pale girl dropped the phone, knowing how irritated her mother was bound to be and not really looking forward to confronting it. She spent a few minutes rolling around in bed, pretending she didn't actually have to get up and talk to her mother, but eventually sat up and got ready.

She found her family down at one of shrines they had decided to go visit - much to Seamus's protests - and waited for someone besides her grouchy brother to notice that she had joined them.

"Welcome to the party, sleepyhead," Seamus mumbled, apparently feeling kind that day; thanks to that, she would probably be able to play invisible until her mother got angry at something that wasn't her. Einin didn't really understand her mother's dislike of her sleeping in; she just knew at this point it was a pain in the ass to hear the lecture about "responsible young adults" again. Seamus glanced around the shrine, occasionally taking a picture to send to his girlfriend, but otherwise bored.

The rest of the day was spent bothering Seamus and looking at the old shrine. It wasn't particularly exciting, but it was nice spending time with her family. Dinner was good - maybe not stellar, but good - and when they got back to the hotel, she hung out in her parents' room, reading and talking until they kicked her out to go to bed. She texted her brother a good night, although he was probably asleep by then.

Einin made it back to her room just fine, but looking outside, it seemed too perfect of a night not to go stargazing again. With a sigh, she got up and and shoved her flip flops on, then departed the hotel again to walk to the private property. She shoved herself over the fence again, and made her way to her chosen spot. It was colder tonight than it had been before, and a shiver rattled her body as she trudged through the sand.

She laid down when she got to that patch of earth, her eyes watching the stars and how the moon reflected light onto the water. It was peaceful, the world silent except for the lapping of the waves against the sand… but that silence was broken by the sound of… someone calling her? The redhead stood up, and curiosity got the better of her as she began to follow the source of the haunting sound, one she quickly recognized as a voice. It was almost like her mind was in a fog, and her body was more in control than she was as she trailed down the beach. What greeted her was a rather… unusual sight: a boy - perhaps no older than she - apparently treading water in the ocean as he sang with a voice as clear and haunting as a wind chime. His hair was blond, wavy, and cascaded down to his waist. His smile was enchanting, yet… sinister, and he appeared to be reaching out toward her, his palms out as if beckoning her to him.

Einin shuddered as she found herself stepping into the lapping water, rather against her will. Yet, no matter how her brain tried to stop her, to make her turn away and run the other direction... her body wouldn't listen to her. It was a surreal and terrifying experience, to feel as if you were a spectator while your body was controlled by a force more powerful than you, yet thoroughly mysterious. As if that weren't enough, she could feel herself begin to hum, the soothing sound echoing through her throat in perfect harmony with the boy's seductive melody. His slender, pale arms embraced her hypnotized body, and she fell into him, vaguely aware of a soft, impish giggle...

"Time to go home, _Anemone-chan_!"

* * *

Mytwistedview: Hi I'm Luna, nice to meet everyone! I just wanted to say thinks for reading please review to let us know what you think! This chapter was written by me and edited by the wonderful Sassybaskets.


	2. Stranger

The last warm rays of sunlight cast themselves over the beach, illuminating the crests of the tide and all that it touched in a rich orange glow. The familiar, salty sea breeze whispered through Levi's short brown curls - ever so slightly bleached by the midday's rays - and she greeted the dusk with a vague, faraway smile as the globe rotated away from its distant, fiery benefactor. She and her mother had been living here in Okinawa for a few years now, ever since her mom had been stationed here by the Air Force, she decided to settle in and buy a house here, and Levi had gotten her high school education on this island. It was a single-parent household, and although mother and daughter didn't get as much time together as they would have liked, they valued their time together as much as their independence, even if Levi was now 19 and considered an adult in the eyes of Japanese law.

It was practically a ritual for her by now - she'd finish helping with dinner, they'd eat together (when they could), and once the dishes were rinsed and everything put back where it belonged, Levi would walk through town and down to the beach, often just in time to see the sun setting. During the day, she worked as a waitress in a small restaurant, serving breakfast and lunch to locals, tourists, and even the occasional servicemen having a day off, trying to contribute in any way she could so that she and her mother would never have to want for food again. The military wasn't an ideal choice, but it brought them stability after having to all but couch hop to stay off the streets following a rough divorce. Taking a walk by the water was usually a good way to clear her mind after even the longest and most hectic days.

Mint green flip flops were kicked off of tanned feet the moment they touched sand, and Levi took the sandals into the first two fingers of her left hand to carry while she made her leisurely trek down the shoreline. The warm, dry sand that shifted beneath her footfalls gave way to the gritty mud that was left over from high tide, and further still until she was almost at the waterline. She rather savored the way it squished between her toes, and each time the cool water came up to lap at her ankles, it washed away the temporary prints she left in her wake. For being on a popular vacation spot, this beach was usually rather quiet at night - nary a soul save for maybe a rare local who had the same idea, or a tourist attempting to fish - and for now, it seemed tonight was no exception. This suited Levi just fine, as she generally preferred to hoof it alone and recharge her proverbial batteries. Waiting tables wasn't exactly the best job choice for an introvert like herself, but she supposed sacrifices had to be made.

Twilight descended quickly, and a large but waning moon began to illuminate her path, its silver light taking the place of the golden rays of sunset, pairing perfectly with the blue and purple shadows of night. She must have been out there for about an hour, sometimes stopping to observe what constellations she could spot, but by now she almost knew the beach by heart… Levi wondered if she could find her way back home completely blindfolded. That being said, the slight chill of the air was starting to set in, and she decided to turn back and make her way toward the town again. It wasn't like she was particularly far from home, as her pace was slow when she took these walks, and they were less about going somewhere than simply enjoying, simply being. A slightly more brisk pace might have her home in twenty minutes or so, maybe a half hour at most.

However, what should have been a fairly standard and uneventful return trip, felt as if it might not be all it seemed. About ten minutes after reversing course, the brunette got the feeling that something strange was afoot, but she couldn't place her finger on why… that is, until on the near horizon, she saw a figure. They seemed to be sitting in the sand, alone, knees to their chest and locks of wispy hair billowing in the wind. She slowed her roll, making sure to keep her steps quiet as she approached… and as the figure came into clearer view, she determined that it was a boy. He seemed to be right on the edge of frail, and couldn't have been any older than she was; the apparent teenager had his arm held up in such a way that it appeared he was staring quite intently at his wrist. Levi noted that he was almost lost in his own world, as he didn't even notice her getting closer. She wasn't sure why she was so curious about this stranger, but she couldn't help herself… she had to know more.

With her voice soft, only just loud enough to be heard over the waves so she wouldn't startle him, she called out, "Hey, is everything alright...?"

* * *

Sassybaskets:"Sup nerds, Sassybaskets here. I'm mostly gonna let my writing speak for itself unless I'm feeling particularly snarky for some reason. Enjoy!"


	3. Stalker

The last warm rays of sunlight cast themselves over the beach, illuminating the crests of the tide and all that it touched in a rich orange glow. The familiar, salty sea breeze whispered through Levi's short brown curls - ever so slightly bleached by the midday's rays - and she greeted the dusk with a vague, faraway smile as the globe rotated away from its distant, fiery benefactor. She and her mother had been living here in Okinawa for a few years now, ever since her mom had been stationed here by the Air Force, she decided to settle in and buy a house here, and Levi had gotten her high school education on this island. It was a single-parent household, and although mother and daughter didn't get as much time together as they would have liked, they valued their time together as much as their independence, even if Levi was now 19 and considered an adult in the eyes of Japanese law.

It was practically a ritual for her by now - she'd finish helping with dinner, they'd eat together (when they could), and once the dishes were rinsed and everything put back where it belonged, Levi would walk through town and down to the beach, often just in time to see the sun setting. During the day, she worked as a waitress in a small restaurant, serving breakfast and lunch to locals, tourists, and even the occasional servicemen having a day off, trying to contribute in any way she could so that she and her mother would never have to want for food again. The military wasn't an ideal choice, but it brought them stability after having to all but couch hop to stay off the streets following a rough divorce. Taking a walk by the water was usually a good way to clear her mind after even the longest and most hectic days.

Mint green flip flops were kicked off of tanned feet the moment they touched sand, and Levi took the sandals into the first two fingers of her left hand to carry while she made her leisurely trek down the shoreline. The warm, dry sand that shifted beneath her footfalls gave way to the gritty mud that was left over from high tide, and further still until she was almost at the waterline. She rather savored the way it squished between her toes, and each time the cool water came up to lap at her ankles, it washed away the temporary prints she left in her wake. For being on a popular vacation spot, this beach was usually rather quiet at night - nary a soul save for maybe a rare local who had the same idea, or a tourist attempting to fish - and for now, it seemed tonight was no exception. This suited Levi just fine, as she generally preferred to hoof it alone and recharge her proverbial batteries. Waiting tables wasn't exactly the best job choice for an introvert like herself, but she supposed sacrifices had to be made.

Twilight descended quickly, and a large but waning moon began to illuminate her path, its silver light taking the place of the golden rays of sunset, pairing perfectly with the blue and purple shadows of night. She must have been out there for about an hour, sometimes stopping to observe what constellations she could spot, but by now she almost knew the beach by heart… Levi wondered if she could find her way back home completely blindfolded. That being said, the slight chill of the air was starting to set in, and she decided to turn back and make her way toward the town again. It wasn't like she was particularly far from home, as her pace was slow when she took these walks, and they were less about going somewhere than simply enjoying, simply being. A slightly more brisk pace might have her home in twenty minutes or so, maybe a half hour at most.

However, what should have been a fairly standard and uneventful return trip, felt as if it might not be all it seemed. About ten minutes after reversing course, the brunette got the feeling that something strange was afoot, but she couldn't place her finger on why… that is, until on the near horizon, she saw a figure. They seemed to be sitting in the sand, alone, knees to their chest and locks of wispy hair billowing in the wind. She slowed her roll, making sure to keep her steps quiet as she approached… and as the figure came into clearer view, she determined that it was a boy. He seemed to be right on the edge of frail, and couldn't have been any older than she was; the apparent teenager had his arm held up in such a way that it appeared he was staring quite intently at his wrist. Levi noted that he was almost lost in his own world, as he didn't even notice her getting closer. She wasn't sure why she was so curious about this stranger, but she couldn't help herself… she had to know more.

With her voice soft, only just loud enough to be heard over the waves so she wouldn't startle him, she called out, "Hey, is everything alright...?"

* * *

Sassybaskets:"Sup nerds, Sassybaskets here. I'm mostly gonna let my writing speak for itself unless I'm feeling particularly snarky for some reason. Enjoy!"


	4. Abducted

Einin awoke from her hypnotic slumber, to unfamiliar surroundings. Her heart raced, where the Hell was she? She scrambled up into a standing position to look around, only to realize most of her clothes were gone, and left her exposed to the chilly air. The only thing remaining on her body was the loose shirt she had been wearing, but it had been cut off (or rather, ripped off, telling by the rough, tattered edges) just below her breasts.

The room - or what would better be described as a cave - was dark and cylindrical, with two apparent exits: a hole near the top that let in light, and a slightly larger hole that lead to a waterway, from what she could see. She could feel herself shivering, despite the fact that that it seemed to be mid-day from what she could see through what might be called a skylight… if you had a particularly sick sense of humor.

"Hello!" she yelled above, trying to catch the attention of anyone who might walk by... but the only thing she heard in response, was her own voice echoing around the cove. It sounded more desperate and pathetic then she would have liked. Despite the futility, she attempted to jump and climb out of the hole… but it was entirely too high for her to reach. She had to at least make an attempt; the burden would be too much for her to bear if she didn't try everything...

She felt her eyes watering up with frustrated tears, but she hastily wiped them away before the first one could fall. However, once the first managed to escape, it was an uphill battle to keep the rest from following. She took a deep breath in and let out a deep sigh, trying to calm herself down before she tried jumping again, and again, and again. Soon, though, she resigned to stop, not because she'd lost the will to escape, but rather that her knees were getting bloodied and bruised from numerous botched landings.

Einin bit her lip, trying to calm down again before looking for an alternative plan… aha! The waterway entrance! She wasn't the best swimmer, but she figured she could probably make it if it was a short way out. Her thirst was overwhelming by now, but she had to put that out of mind in order to strategize. The cold floor of the cave, in direct contact with her naked skin, sent a chill through her bones, so she wasn't able to linger for long (not that she wanted to, in any capacity) before approaching the submerged exit.

The tunnel was dark, and she couldn't see an outlet from where she peered down from above, as the water was rather murky. With a resigned breath, she dove in, slipping down and swimming through the tunnel. No light could be seen past the first curve, or the second, or the third. She was forced to turn around, as she couldn't hold her breath for much longer, and surfaced again with a loud, clamoring gasp. Once she'd taken a short rest, she inhaled sharply and sunk beneath the water again, attempting a second time to find a way out. She made it further this time, but still met no success, and she dejectedly returned to her prison to ditch that plan as well.

Hot, angry tears ran down her face as she pulled herself out of the water and began to cry. Not any sort of crying, either; rather it was the type of crying where every single negative thing that had ever been done to you hits you all at once. Sobs and hiccups shook her body and echoed through the room, she was in the middle of weeping - and perhaps, to a certain extent, mourning - when a cold, clammy hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her onto her back. Her eyes widened as she recognized her captor, and unfortunately, seeing him just provoked her into more hysterics. Embarrassed, she covered her blotchy face, and attempted to turn away from him to give herself a second to compose herself. However, he apparently had other plans, as she soon felt herself being pulled into a seated position.

"Anemone-chan! Did you hurt yourself by accident?"

Ostensibly, his face showed a look of concern, but Einin couldn't shake the feeling that the truth was far more sinister. Even his supposedly soothing tone of voice made her skin crawl, "Aww, shhh… it's okay, it's okay! No need to cry - Kou-kun will help you. We'll give you a nice bath to clean you up..."

Einin blinked tears away, confused at who he was addressing, but then it hit her, and her voice quivered as she spoke up, "E-excuse me... um... Kou? D-do you... have any water?" For the moment, she could think of nothing except quenching her thirst. Frankly, her throat was parched, no thanks to her emotional state.

"Hm? Don't you have water right there?" he asked; the way he stressed it sounded as if he was confused by her question.

"Um... I can't drink salt water. If I do, I'll just get really sick, and die," she explained slowly, and cautiously opened her eyes... only to find that the blond was absolutely stark naked. Her face turned a startling red as she looked him up and down: his hair was shorter then she remembered, but he was just as beautiful as the last time she'd seen him. She watched his face as it slipped into thoughtfulness, then he nodded and mumbled something along the lines of ' _that makes sense'_ , before he looked back at her. Kou reached out to pet her head, then stood up.

"In that case, I'll be right back, Anemone-chan! Be a good girl while I'm gone~"

Einin stared at him, finding his word choice rather peculiar... then gasped as she watched him transform into the _exact creature_ that she remembered kidnapping her at the beach. His warm golden tail almost seemed to wave goodbye to her as it slipped back under in the water.

She choked on air as she processed the events unfolding before her. Time seemed to stop as she tried to wrap her head around the fact that she had just been kidnapped by a mermaid, for what appeared to be no particular reason. Questions popped up too quickly for her to answer or even dwell on for more than a second or two:

 _Who was he? What did he want? Why her? Mermaids are real? Why does he keep calling me Anemone? Is this real? Have I gone insane?_

It was practically endless, this stream of unanswered questions. As crazy as it was, she had no choice but to wait and hope he came back for her...


	5. Azusa

Although she'd tried to keep her voice soft when she addressed him, apparently Levi still managed to startle the mysterious boy; his attention snapped to her, and the arm he'd been holding out flinched, pulling into his chest. It looked like he was getting ready to escape her if she made any other sudden moves, almost like a frightened animal… although, when she saw his eyes, they didn't suggest fear at all. Rather, they seemed to shine with worry, caution, and perhaps… a bit of sadness?

She held her hands palm-out in a gesture of non-aggression, and stepped toward him cautiously, "It's… it's okay, are you hurt? Do you need some help?"

His eyes flicked down for a moment, as if he had to think about his answer; he returned her gaze again, and spoke in a voice she could only just hear above the soft splashing of the waves, "...no."

Levi looked the boy over - his whole body looked pale and willowy, he wore a half-soaked T-shirt that was at least two or three sizes too big for him, and black board shorts with a fire pattern on them, but he was utterly barefoot with nary a shoe nor flip-flop in sight. Had he just walked here like this? Maybe he lived upshore somewhere and got lost? However, a closer look at his face revealed three thin scars: one across the bridge of his nose, then two more that crossed his jaw on either side.

"Are you sure you're okay? Is something on your arm…?"

She began to reach out toward him, trying to see what it was he'd been looking at, but he pulled his limb in closer to his chest, and twisted his body away; it was just enough that he kept his arm guarded, but his face was still in three-quarters view. His gaze was downcast, but she could tell it was aimed at least in her general direction.

"I'm fine…" he almost whispered, after a silence between them.

Levi shook her head and sighed, her brow furrowed into a look of concern, "Why do you keep looking at your arm though?"

"...it's nothing. Don't… worry about me…"

The strange boy spoke slowly, more so than almost anyone she'd ever met. Did he have special needs, maybe? If that was the case, he might need more than just medical attention if he was out here alone… but it seemed she'd need to gain his trust first, and that was proving difficult. At first, she wasn't quite sure what to do next, so she decided to see if he would relax a bit if she was more casual; she took a breath and sighed, then sat down about three feet from him, just close enough to talk (and so that she could hear him) but not so close that he'd feel like his personal space was invaded. Then, Levi - her legs folded lotus-style and a warm smile crossing her lips - asked, "What's your name? I don't think I've seen you here before."

There was another pause between them, and though his eyes still stayed largely downcast and his position remained self-protective, she saw his gaze flicker back up to her at least once, if not twice, "...my name is… Azusa…"

As he spoke, she would glance to see if any progress had been made on his arm. This might take some doing, but she was growing concerned; she could smell iron, the scent of blood, even through the salty sea air. He would need some kind of bandaging, if not a hospital, but for whatever reason he was refusing to let her see.

"Azusa… well, my name is Levi. I live about fifteen minutes upshore. Are you from around here?"

He picked up his head, and it seemed like he gazed out to the sea… or at least, to her, it seemed plausible that the sea just happened to be in the direction he looked, "...no."

"Oh," that would certainly explain why she'd never seen him around, maybe he was on vacation with family? It was too early to tell, "then, where _are_ you from, if you don't mind me asking?"

Azusa appeared to think on this for a few seconds, as yet another silence fell between them, but a few seconds later, he simply murmured, "...the ocean."

"The ocean?" She couldn't suppress a small giggle, "Ah, I see, you're joking. But really, where are you from?"

His brow furrowed, his stare stayed locked on the horizon over the water, then he turned his head to look at her almost through his peripheral vision; he seemed to speak a bit more firmly when he repeated himself, "The ocean."

...yeah, she was gonna go with special needs. She guessed that he meant he lived overseas and just didn't have the right word for it, "The ocean… okay, well, where are you staying while you're… on land?"

Silence. Levi considered asking a second time, but then she looked again, and in the moonlight, she could see droplets of dark liquid coming from his forearm and falling from the point of his elbow. It couldn't have been anything else but blood. She couldn't contain a small gasp, and she reached out again, "Oh my god, Azusa, you're bleeding! Why didn't you tell me?"

A flat, monotone reply followed, "I… didn't notice…"

She stared blankly at him, though her mouth hung slightly open in shock, "Wh- no, like… it's dripping down your arm," she pointed, watching as another droplet fell into his lap, "Azusa, you have to be honest with me, okay? Listen, if you're bleeding this much, you need to see a doctor. Do you understand? Where are your mom and dad?"

A frown crossed Azusa's face, but he otherwise didn't move, "dead."

Ooookay then. Not the answer she was expecting. Levi tried another option, "Well, do you have an aunt or uncle? Brothers? Sisters? Cousins? Anyone we can contact to let them know where you are?"

Strangely enough, this seemed to be the first she saw of a smile from him, albeit it was no more than a shadow of one, "I have brothers…"

"Brothers! Okay, good, good, now Azusa, can you tell me where your brothers are right now?"

His expression suddenly became more serious, and he fixed his gaze on her, "The ocean."

Welp, so much for that. Levi then asked a bit more forwardly, "Azusa, do you have a cell phone? Like…" she reached into her back pocket, and pulled out her smartphone to show him, "one of these?"

Lord, was this guy full of surprises, and she'd only known him for maybe ten minutes; he locked his stare on the little piece of technology, and instinctively reached out to take it. However, he realized what he'd done, a bit too late - Levi seized the opportunity and took him by the wrist before he could flinch again. She then extended the limb out, placing the phone back in her pocket so that she could utilize both hands to examine and manipulate his anatomy. Sure enough, the inside of his forearm sported a gash: at least 3-4 inches long, and oozing with fresh blood; as far as Levi knew, such a wound could easily be fatal if not treated.

"Shit! Azusa, you need to go to the hospital! C'mon, I'll take you, I'm not leaving you out here like this…"

"No…" he protested weakly, she began to wonder if he was already suffering from the effects of blood loss. She took his hand on one side, and reached behind him with the other arm to grab him and pull him up. Azusa seemed as if he was going to deadweight, and his reluctance was still apparent, but he allowed her to stand him up… and he was taller than he looked when he'd been sitting down, she guessed he was about her height if he wasn't slightly slumped. The boy seemed fairly stable though, so there was still hope.

"Come on, I'm gonna let my mom know that we need to take you to the hospital. I promise the walk isn't long at all…"

He still didn't seem all that willing, and even as Levi took his uninjured hand to lead him, he all but dragged his feet through the sand. Why on earth was he so reluctant to get medical attention? It seemed like forever before they reached her house, as what should have been only about a twenty or thirty minute walk was stretched into something closer to forty-five minutes. She noticed that every so often when she'd look back, he would stare off onto the horizon, as if he could think of nothing except the sea… or being anywhere else but there. Either way, she just couldn't get any kind of read on this strange boy.

However, as they approached the front porch, Azusa really dug in his heels and refused to set foot on the planks at all, "No…"

"Azusa, it'll only be a minute, and you've come this far…"

"I'll be fine…"

Levi sighed deeply, then conceded, "Alright, fine. But just stay here, okay? I need to get my mom real quick so I can take you to the emergency room and she won't worry about me."

She stepped away, and he seemed to be frozen, staring through her with his forlorn eyes, and then she went up to the front door with her keys in hand. Once she unlocked and opened it, she poked her head in and called out, "Mom!"

"Yes?"

"I need to go into town, there's a kid with an injury and he needs to go to the E.R."

"Okay, be careful. Text me when you get there so I know you're safe."

"Alright, mom. I love you!"

Levi pulled the door closed behind her, and was about to lock it again, but she looked back to the place where she'd left Azusa… and there was no one there. It wasn't even as if he'd run off, but more like he'd simply vanished, and it was too dark and too late to venture out looking for him.

"Shit…"


	6. Ashore

_Splash!_

Jen surfaced with a gasp. It was lucky that she didn't have much more depth to ascend, but either way, she didn't have much inclination to hang around. Who _was_ that? Who else would be out here, at this time? But probably the most nagging question on her mind was… did he really have those sharp teeth, or did she imagine that?

It wasn't as if she was particularly ashamed of her nudity, but generally she wasn't about to stick around in the water with a strange man while she was totally exposed. The sun was definitely above the horizon by the time she returned to the relative safety of the sand, and she quickly gathered her clothes up in her arms in order to haphazardly cover herself (no easy task, given that she was rather _blessed_ with regards to her bosom). Jen then turned back around, worried that she might have been followed… and it occurred to her that she hadn't heard the sound of anyone else getting out of the water or walking around on shore. The man she saw _definitely_ was not wearing a snorkel or scuba gear… was he, too, a free diver? Most people would not have been able to stay under that long, and although she hadn't exactly checked to see if anything was swimming after her, surely there would have been some kind of follow-up… right?

The young woman furrowed her brow, perplexed, and watched for a few moments more. Nothing. With an exasperated sigh, she remarked under her breath, "Man… maybe I am losin' it out here…"

She shook her head, then grabbed her towel to begin drying off. Had her head been in the right place, she might have reached for this first… but no matter; Jen tossed her clothes back onto the beach, and just as she began to pat her bare body with the cloth, she glanced back at the sea one more time, just to make a final attempt at determining what became of her unwanted company.

The only thing she saw in the water was a distant, slowly circling shark fin, slicing above the surface like a blade.

Another sigh. Jen was no longer sure if she'd imagined the whole thing, or if she'd been right to get out when - and as quickly - as she did. The situation seemed very strange, though she supposed that right now, she couldn't linger on it too long; there were things to do, places to be, though she swore to herself that she would be on higher alert for a while. After all, there's a chance that there's some free-diving, unusually sharp-toothed pervert lurking around, and she didn't want to become a victim. Maybe she could ask around back on land; from what she saw of the intruder, he was probably a white male, in a place where almost everyone sported a dark complexion... and with teeth like that, he would have to be pretty distinct. No one could forget a guy who'd somehow had all his teeth filed to points…

... _right_?


	7. Mealtime

She was lying on the floor, shivering, when she heard him return.

"Here you go, Anemone-chan! Were you a good girl while I was gone?" He asked in a tone that, while ostensibly cheery, was laced with a hint of malice in it, and shoved two cases of bottled water onto the floor of the cave.

"You didn't try to leave me again, did you?"

Einin barely heard what he said after the scraping of the cases against the floor. Mouth dry, she inched forward and grabbed one of the bottles. She took careful sips so as not to overwhelm her stomach right off the bat.

She watched him shift, then pull himself up and out of the water; he settled in close to her, but far away enough to give her some space. He was still naked - which was disconcerting, especially since she was almost completely exposed herself; Einin turned her glance away with a blush, then set the water bottle down, not noticing the blond merman getting closer to her as she did so. Suddenly, he swept her up in his arms, evoking a squeak from her, before tossing her into the chilly water.

"Alright Anemone-chan! It's bath time~!"she attempted to struggle out, only to have him shove her back in.

"Ne~ stop struggling! This is good for you!"

"Stop it! That's not my name and I don't need a bath!"

"Of course it is, Anemone-chan! I found you wandering on that beach, and named you just like a good owner does!" The tone in his voice seemingly contented, Kou took advantage of the momentary pause to pull off the half shirt he had left hanging on her.

"Stop it!" she yelped, covering up her large chest as she tried to move out of his range, "I don't know what kind of sick fantasy you're having, but I want to go home!"

Kou huffed, starting to get irritated with the struggling, when an idea popped into his head, "Anemone-chan, if you sit still for a bit and let me wash you, I won't punish you for trying to get out…" his voice dropped to a serious tone, "which I was planning on doing later."

That about did it; the girl froze, and he took the opportunity to add soap to her hair and start washing. She stayed quiet for the rest of the time he spent washing her, only squirming when he got around to washing her chest and between her legs. Of course, when she would react this way, he reprimanded her with a quick 'Bad' and a flick on the nose. When she was all rinsed off, he smiled at how shiny and clean she looked, then allowed her to pull herself out of the pool.

Einin was scared. She could feel herself trembling from a mixture of the cold and the amount of adrenaline pulsing through her blood, at the fact that she had let this creature touch her… no, "let" was the wrong word, she didn't really consent to any of what was happening. She wasn't paying attention to the blond, and instead was more focused on curling up in a ball and keeping warm, when a loud snap echoed around the room. Kou apparently had just remembered something.

"Oh! I almost forgot to feed you, Anemone-chan! I'll be right back~"

It took him all of a few moments to come back, a live fish in hand, held up by its tail. He tossed it at her, to which she reacted with a screech, and dodged the flailing projectile. Kou, meanwhile, looked ridiculously proud of himself... but his gaze quickly shifted to concern when she didn't start eating.

She watched curiously as he grabbed the the fish, desperately flopping around in its attempt to escape back to the water. The curiosity quickly withdrew, however, when she saw him grab a rock and get a firmer grip on the hapless animal.

"No! Don't…!"

She spoke too late; the rock came down on the fish's head with a sickening crunch, crushing its skull. Einin could only flinch as it flopped around, still somehow alive. Horrified, she watched as the life left its body after a few minutes of flopping. She wanted to vomit.

"There you go Anemone-chan! Eat up!" He was smiling, even with splatters of the fish's blood still crossing his cheek and hands as he offered the food to her. She resisted the urge to gag, and shook her head, leaning back to get away from both corpse and killer.

"Aw, what's wrong? Are you not hungry? That's no good, you need to eat!" He seemed to take another moment to ponder, then his eyes lit up again, "Hmmmm... I got it! I'll just feed you myself!"

This, frankly, sounded like a _horrible_ idea to the still shivering redhead, and she was quick to scramble up and back even further away from him, as far as she could carry herself, "N-no! I-it's fine… I'll just, um... eat it later! I'm not hungry right now, really! I promise!" She tried to bargain with him as she pressed herself against the back wall. Einin could tell he wasn't buying her act for a second, as he pulled himself out of the water and grabbed the fish again.

"You know Anemone-chan, it's not good to lie. Especially when someone does something as nice as getting you food, and taking care of you when you didn't have any before," his voice was back to that threatening tone. She could see the twinkle of mirth in his eyes when he observed her shaking body (though she still wasn't sure if the shaking was induced by the cold or by fear at this point).

"Sooo~ I would suggest you stop now, unless you want me to get upset with you. Do you want to upset me, Anemone-chan?" he asked with feigned confusion. Einin shook her head, and slowly sunk to the ground as Kou walked up to her.

"Good! Then you'll eat this, right? After all, I don't think you want to be disciplined on your first night here, do you?"

She flinched as he reached over to her, and brushed her hair away from her face in a gesture that should have been comforting, but just seemed to further remind her of her position as his 'pet'. Feeling as if she didn't really have a choice at this point, she looked back to the poor dead fish, and decided that she may as well eat it.

"N-no… I'll be good…." she winced, hating how her voice shook as she took the fish from him. He seemed all too eager to watch, as he sat unmoving from where he had crouched in front of her. Hesitantly, Einin decided taking a bite from the tail end probably wouldn't be too bad; most of the organs and smaller bones were towards the front anyways.

Her stomach was still rolling as she brought the corpse to her lips and took a bite, ignoring the taste and feeling of fish blood in her mouth. However, she found herself scrambling for the bottled water, in order to wash the bite down and get that awful flavor flushed off of her tongue. He made her take three more bites before he nodded, satisfied with how much she had consumed.

"That's a good girl," he praised, petting her hair again. She still felt the urge to vomit, but was definitely not as hungry as she had been. She gathered up the courage to look at him again, and nearly cursed at how pleased he looked with her. The petting soon traveled down from her hair to her back, causing goosebumps to rise up all over her skin. When he reached her waist, Kou pulled her into his lap, causing another sharp squeak to escape the girl's mouth before she was effectively pinned against his chest.

She was just starting to tense in preparation for a struggle, when she she felt his nails bite into her back, presumably as a warning. In a quick response, she stopped and fell limp against him, out of ideas.

"Good girl! See? Now that you're behaving yourself, you get rewarded! Do you feel warmer now? You should show your thanks by hugging me closer, Anemone-chan," he spoke rather impatiently, causing a small amount of panic to rise up in Einin's chest. With the interest of keeping the crazy fish-man happy, she hugged him back, letting him take her to the floor and continue to curl up with her.

Kou then shifted so that she was on her back, and he was curled against her side, his head resting on her breasts. This was extremely uncomfortable for her... but what could she do? One arm was around her waist and the other under her neck, while his legs had managed to wrap around hers like she was some sort of body pillow.

"You know... these fat sacks on your chest aren't bad as pillows. Maybe I don't need to cover them up anymore…" he trailed off, sounding rather drowsy. Einin blushed at the thought of her half shirt being taken away permanently, but then decided to close her eyes and sleep. Maybe if she wished hard enough, she would wake up at home where she belonged, and all of this would turn out to be an awful dream…

Luna:Hi guys! as much as I love seeing how many of you read this I would really like to hear what you guys think! please feel free to review or pm us with them it means a lot! thank you for reading!


	8. Miracle

No matter how she tried, Levi couldn't help but wonder what had become of the injured boy that she'd encountered on the beach that night. It was hard for her to sleep, and her mother repeatedly tried to assure her that it wasn't her fault, that she couldn't have known that he would just disappear like that… but it really didn't ease her worry. It was difficult not to let it bother her even while she was working, especially since business was rather slow the following day, and she hadn't gotten nearly as much rest as she normally would have. It went without saying that she got good use out of the coffee machine.

Nevertheless, she still somewhat looked forward to her usual walk on the beach, even if she anticipated that it would still be laced with a hint of concern. After a delicious dinner of curried chicken over rice, and mangos for dessert, Levi decided to shower off and wash away the day's stresses before she changed into some more casual clothes… even though she was just going to get sand all over her feet once she hit the shore.

"Mom! I'm going for my walk!"

"Alright, let me know when you're back!"

"Kay, mom! Love you!"

She closed and locked the door behind her, and hooked her carabiner key chain on her belt loop, which jingled softly in time with her steps. The air was as warm and salty as ever, though it was darker out than when she normally ventured due to her late start; not to mention, the moon had waned further to nearly a quarter. Levi gazed out to the open sea, still puzzling over that peculiar conversation she'd had with Azusa.

' _Where_ are _you from, if you don't mind me asking?'_

' _...the ocean.'_

The ocean… what did he really mean by that? Surely he couldn't have meant that literally? Nah, that's just silly. With a shake of her head, she turned her usual direction, and began to walk at the water line, where the waves lapped at her bare feet. Without paying attention to where she was going, Levi paced for about five, ten minutes, before she spotted a figure in the distance… one that seemed rather oddly familiar. Wispy hair, willowy frame, over-sized clothes…

"Azusa!" she called out.

He immediately looked up in response, his eyes as glassy and ethereal as the first time she'd seen them; she ran over to him as fast as her legs would carry her, "Oh my god, Azusa, I was so worried… wh- where did you… ugh…"

"Worried…?" he cocked his head to the side in slight confusion.

"Yes! I…" Levi let out a sigh, and lowered her voice, "You ran off the other night and I was worried that your wound would get infected. I didn't want you to get sick…"

He seemed to stare through her, "...sick? No… I'm fine…"

She found herself, once again, a bit lost for how to interact with Azusa. He still seemed to hold his left arm close to his body, however. The 19 year old spoke up again, "Azusa… you do remember me, right? Where did you go when you ran away...?"

"...you were… worried about me…"

"...huh?" Levi raised an eyebrow, then answered, "Well, yeah, you need to-"

He cut her off, "You're… the first h-" a pause, as if he was correcting himself, "...you're the first person… who's said that…"

Man, was this kid ever cryptic… did no one really ever concern themselves with his whereabouts and well-being? It would certainly explain why they let an apparent special needs teenager wander around injured and alone.

"Azusa…" she reached out toward him, getting him to look back up at her, "Azusa, where did you go last night? May I please just see your injury?"

He pulled away, his voice at that soft, tremulous whisper, "...why do you… want to know…? Are you… going… to make fun of me?"

Levi drew a sharp inhale, and suddenly felt a shock of sadness run through her; not only was he apparently neglected and skittish, he also seemed to be bullied… what on Earth was happening in his life?

"No… why would you think I'd make fun of you?"

"...everyone else does."

"That… that's awful…" she could barely get her voice above a whisper, matching Azusa's in volume, "No, I… I just want to know so that I can help you. You were bleeding everywhere and…"

"...do you... promise?"

She gave him a puzzled look, "Promise? Promise what?"

"...that you… won't make fun…"

"Hey… look at me…" Levi had to keep trying to get Azusa to look her in the eye, he continually would let his gaze drift or drop down to watch the tide (so it seemed), "I promise, I won't make fun of you, okay? Just… tell me what's wrong."

The boy turned away again for a moment, then looked down toward his arm, tucked behind him, before silently presenting it to her, palm out. There on his forearm was the same gash she'd observed, though now, it was crusted with dark, dried blood, as if he'd never bothered to wash it off. It looked as though it was already beginning to scab and heal… but there was no way he should have been healing this quickly, right? Not that healing quickly was necessarily a bad thing, though, it did seem a bit unusually linear…

"I did it…"

"Did… you did this? Why?"

It seemed like his answer was riddled with sadness, the way his voice dropped was unmistakable, "...the scars… they're my friends… besides my brothers…"

Levi winced a bit at the thought, "They're… they're your friends…?"

Azusa continued, "...and when… I open them up… they talk to me…"

"They talk to you, Azusa?"

A faint smile seemed to cross his lips as he made eye contact with her, his fingertips lightly fidgeting with a flake of the coagulated blood, "The pain… that's how they speak…"

How lonely of an existence did this poor soul live? His scars are his friends? What about his brothers? Were they, maybe, the ones neglecting and abusing him...? Levi could feel her heart sinking for Azusa… but, perhaps she could alleviate that loneliness, even a little?

"Azusa…"

When his expression fell, it seemed as if he was bracing for something awful, yet… an awfulness that he was used to. However, she gave him a sincere smile and finished in a way that appeared to catch him off-guard, "How would you like if I became your friend? We could meet up out here at night, go on walks maybe? I mean, I come out here almost all the time…"

"You… want to be… my friend?"

"Sure! It'd be nice to have someone to talk to sometimes! And I'd love to get to know you! C'mon, let's go for a walk together~"


	9. Modesty

The following morning, Jen wasn't sure what to expect. She'd gone into town yesterday and asked around, trying to find out if anyone had seen a young white male with sharp teeth; frankly, most of the locals asked if she was feeling okay, and one of the elder women even tried to give her some tea and medicine for a fever. She, of course, was too polite to reject it, but she was sure that she hadn't been hallucinating that encounter… right? But what bugged her most was that she'd never seen him surface, and shouldn't he have come up for a breath at some point? Hell, he might have drowned for all she knew. As much as she felt that he was probably in the wrong for spying on her, Jen couldn't help butt feel a pang of guilt if that had turned out to be his fate.

She stepped out, towel in hand, and began to make her way along the beach in the low light of the early sunrise, as usual. However, this time, she felt herself on alert, watching the tree line to see from where the intruder might have come, even though it wasn't hugely dense. A glance in the direction she was going, down the shore, revealed a figure standing about knee-deep in the gently rolling waves. A _male_ figure. And Jen was closer to him than she wanted to be, even though the distance between them was still something on the order of forty or fifty feet.

She quickly ducked and hid behind one of the trees, keeping an eye on him from what she thought was a safe vantage point. Even in the orange glow, she could see that he was fairly pale for the region, and from the looks of it, quite tall; since he faced away from her, she saw that his hair - prior to him putting it up in a messy bun - fell to his mid back. The most striking thing, though, was that he was stark naked. Jen had seen men naked before, and obviously she'd been unclothed here many times before, but this seemed somehow surreal to her. Either way, what was he doing here? Where did he even come from? She decided she didn't really want to stick around and find out.

 _Alright Jen, just… quietly sneak away. You can go to the other side of the beach, right? Easy, try not to make any noise…_

She began to tiptoe out, trying not to rustle any vegetation as she began to make her escape. Unfortunately, it seemed she was not quick enough, and froze when she heard a masculine voice call out after her.

"Oi! You there!"

Every hair on Jen's body stood on end; she'd been spotted. She could feel her heart pounding in her ears, and her breaths became heavy with anticipation. Truly, she was rather terrified - where would she run to if he pursued? She certainly didn't want to lead him to her home lest he try to break in, and she might not be able to outrun him if she ran inland.

"Ain't you the one that was swimmin' around here yesterday!"

His voice sounded closer. She decided that if she wanted a chance, she might have to fight for it, and turned to face him; Jen kept her hands clenched, ready to strike at the first sign of a threat. Sure enough, he had gained at least ten feet of ground since she last looked… and was treated to a full frontal view. Admittedly, he was _very_ attractive - tall, lean, muscular, and let's just say, _blessed_ \- but she had to resist staring too much and stay on guard.

"What's it to you? Who are you, and how the Hell'd you get here?" she responded, trying to sound as confident as she could.

To that, he paused and stared at - no, _through_ \- her, and stated, "Whaddya mean, ' _how did I get here?_ ' 'S my territory, and the name's Yuma," as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

What… was he serious? Jen's brows knit together in a frown, mostly from being momentarily dumbfounded, "...excuse you? _Territory_? This area doesn't belong to anyone, least of all you."

Yuma gestured out toward the ocean, "Well if it don't belong to anyone, then that means I can claim it, so I did."

"What kinda colonialist bullshit…!"

"Ah!?" he seemed rather confused by her comment, then continued, advancing closer to her (which she responded to by stepping back), "'S just how things work. I ain't seen no rivals out here neither, 'n I've been here for 'bout a month, so it's mine. And since you seem t' live here too," Yuma flashed a cockeyed and rather predatory grin, "means yer mine, too."

She shook her head, and blinked in utter bewilderment; it took her a couple of moments to process what he said, and then Jen replied, "Are you high? I don't belong to anyone, least of all some… random naked white boy just showing up and perving on me while I swim."

"Yer in my territory, an' that means I got rights t' any female in it, includin' you. An' tellin' by the way yer starin', yeh like whatcha see!"

Admittedly, he wasn't wrong about the last part - Jen would be lying if she said that she wasn't feeling a bit warm in ways that had nothing to do with the rising sun - but that wasn't the point. She shook herself out of it, and sighed, "Look, I don't know where you got this idea from, but you don't own this beach, you don't own me, and I'm going to the other side. Don't follow me neither!"

Yuma let out a chuckle, "I own that part of the beach too, morsel."

 _Morsel?_ What the fuck is with this guy?

Jen curled her lip in slight disgust, and muttered under her breath, "Tch… crazy ass white boy…"


End file.
